Monday, January 12, 2009

I just visited Disneyland for New Year's Eve. Despite the park being the most crowded I've ever seen it, the park has also experienced some recent additions (besides the Christmas decorations around the park and in several rides).

One of the new excting additions can be found in Disney's California Advenure. There is a new, small room next to the vinery called Blue Sky Imagineering. It is a room with dioramas, signs, information, and videos all about what the imagineers plan to do with DCA in the near future. Here are some pictures (They were all taken on the iPhone's low quality camera in less than desirable lighting, so I apologize for the picture quality):

The entrance to Blue Sky Imagineering

An introduction to the room that you see upon walking in the entrance.

A picture of Walt up on the wall, acknowledging that he is the great man that started everything.

An example of what DCA's "Main Street" will be like. (I can't wait!)

DCA's soon-to-come-true map.

Artists' Renditions of the new DCA.

Basically just what the room looks like.

A model of the red cars that will run up and down Buena Vista Street in Disney's California Adventure.

A model of the soon-to-be-renovated Paradise Pier with new shops and boardwalk games.

A model of the soon-to-be-renovated Paradise Pier with new shops and boardwalk games.

A model of the soon-to-be-renovated Paradise Pier with new shops and boardwalk games.A model of the soon-to-be-renovated Paradise Pier with new shops and boardwalk games.

A model of the soon-to-be-renovated Paradise Pier with new shops and boardwalk games.

A diorama of California Screamin' which will be renovated to fit the theme of California in the 1920s.

A diorama of California Screamin' which will be renovated to fit the theme of California in the 1920s.

A diorama of California Screamin' which will be renovated to fit the theme of California in the 1920s.

A diorama of California Screamin' which will be renovated to fit the theme of California in the 1920s.

A diorama of California Screamin' which will be renovated to fit the theme of California in the 1920s.

Artists' renderings of an upcoming attraction. It will be a renovation of the swings which currently reside in an orange. The swings will be themed as The Band Concert, the Silly Symphonies cartoon and riders will be conducted by Mickey Mouse as they get caught up in a storm.

Artists' renderings of an upcoming attraction. It will be a renovation of the swings which currently reside in an orange. The swings will be themed as The Band Concert, the Silly Symphonies cartoon and riders will be conducted by Mickey Mouse as they get caught up in a storm.

Artists' renderings of an upcoming attraction. It will be a renovation of the swings which currently reside in an orange. The swings will be themed as The Band Concert, the Silly Symphonies cartoon.

A close-up the previous image where an iPhone is cleverly hidden.

Artists' renderings of the upcoming dark ride attraction based on The Little Mermaid.

Artists' renderings of an upcoming attraction. It will be a renovation of the swings which currently reside in an orange. The swings will be themed as The Band Concert, the Silly Symphonies cartoon.

Artists' renderings of DCA's try at a Fantasmic. I personally dislike Fantasmic, but hopefully this light and fountain spectacle will be more impressive.

Artists' renderings of DCA's try at a Fantasmic. I personally dislike Fantasmic, but hopefully this light and fountain spectacle will be more impressive.

Artists' renderings of DCA's try at a Fantasmic. I personally dislike Fantasmic, but hopefully this light and fountain spectacle will be more impressive.

Some of the developmental materials for my favorite ride in California Adventure--Toy Story Midway Mania.

Some more artists' renderings of the renovated park in general and how it will look like California as it was in the 1920s.

Some more artists' renderings and a mention of a 12-acre Cars land which will be coming in 2012.

A neat desk-type set-up with interesting curios and a cartoon-like map of the new DCA.

A neat desk-type set-up with interesting curios and a cartoon-like map of the new DCA.

A neat desk-type set-up with interesting curios and a cartoon-like map of the new DCA.

A neat desk-type set-up with interesting curios and a cartoon-like map of the new DCA.

Some more artists' renderings of the renovated park in general and how it will look like California as it was in the 1920s.

Some more artists' renderings of the renovated park in general and how it will look like California as it was in the 1920s.

Some artistic renderings of what the new and improved boardwalk games will look like.

Some artistic renderings of what the new and improved boardwalk games will look like.

A neat desk-type set-up with interesting curios and a cartoon-like map of the new DCA.

A neat desk-type set-up with interesting curios and a cartoon-like map of the new DCA.

A close-up on one of the drawings found on the desk.

They have a little quiz you can take about the history of Disney in the 1920s, and this is one of the various screens you see during the course of play, but I found something very interesting and very exciting. Look at the logo near the top that is "engraved" in the metal. It is the WED logo for Walt Disney's first Imagineering division! (It stood for Walter Elias Disney) The name changed during Eisner's reign to Walt Disney Imagineering, but it appears that Lasseter may be bringing it back! One can only hope...

And there is even more news from Disneyland park in California! In Disneyland, a new addition is Sleeping Beauty's Castle Walkthrough. Here are some pictures I took while walking through the new attraction (these pictures were taken on an iPhone, so they are only 2.0 megapixels with less than desirable light). You walk up to an entrance on the side of the iconic castle, Then you walk through the story of Sleeping Beauty. It is told through a "storybook", lighting effects, models with forced perspective, and some of the Imagineers other fantastic techniques. Here are most of the items found in the walkthrough:

And there is Sleeping Beauty's Walkthrough! It is now open in Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland in California.

Well there's all of the new things happening at Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure.

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